


Our last moments,

by aphelia



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, death is implied, meta fic is meta, no fluff no muss just pure mind fucking, should i tag this as nsfw for all the mind fuck riordan is going through?, the death is not implimented though, this is as general as possible for the warden so you can shove ur own bebe there, where the warden is fully aware of past lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-01
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-29 10:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5123477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aphelia/pseuds/aphelia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The warden is aware of the consequences of their actions. They know what to say and what to do. But what if they're sick of all that?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Our last moments,

It was the dawn of the battle. The two warden recruits - Alistair and the new one, both walked into the room where Riordan was residing. He stood tall and proud. And yet at the same time, like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. A paradoxical stance that seemed suited for the situation to come, a reflection of the youngest warden. They had something to be proud of, having gathered an army to fight for them. However, that meant they had an army to lead into battle, and pray to the maker that they didn’t die, or sacrifice their lives for nothing. He ushered the two in, his lips pursed tightly, turned into a frown. The news he was to bare to the new recruits was grim news. “You’re both here, good” the man said, his Orlesian accent thick. “You are both new to the grey wardens, and you may not have been told how an archdemon is slain. I need to know if that is so.” Alistair looked concerned. “You mean there’s more to it than just, say, chopping off it’s head?” The older grey warden sighed. “So it is true. Duncan had not yet told you. I had simply assumed...” Turning around, he paced towards the fire, before looking back at the two new recruits that stood in front of him. “Tell me, have you ever wondered why the grey wardens are needed to defeat the darkspawn?” The newest recruit nodded, though somehow the action seemed hollow. “I had wondered that, yes.” Their words rang empty, as if they already knew the answer. But Riordan pressed on. “The arch demon may be slain as any other darkspawn, but should anyone other than a grey warden do the slaying, it will not be enough.” He began to pace around his room, filled with a nervous energy that meant he had to do something, anything to get his mind off of what he had to tell these two. “The... essence of the beast will pass through the taint to the nearest darkspawn and will be born anew in that body. The dragon is thus but all immortal.” His mind wandered to the visions he had seen when the taint was new in his body, the visions that even now still haunted him. “But, if the arch demon is slain by a grey warden.... its essence travels into the grey warden, instead.” Riordan looked at the newest grey warden in the room. “And... what happens to the grey warden?” Their voice was flat, unfaltering and monotone. It gave the man cause for concern. “A darkspawn is an empty, soulless vessel, but a grey warden is not. The essence of the Arch demon is destroyed... and so is the grey warden.” Alistair stepped forth, a defiant stance. “Meaning... the grey warden who kills the arch demon... dies?” His hands shook as he curled them into fists. Out of fear, or out of anger, the youngest grey warden could not tell. “Yes. Without the arch demon, the blight ends. It is the only way.” Riordan turned away, not wanting to see their faces. It was hard enough telling new people they would die, but to tell them they would be forced to die if they took on the arch demon... “So it is up to the three of us to kill this thing.” Riordan turned around, surprised to hear the young one finally have fire in their voice. “In blights past, when the time came, the eldest of the grey wardens would decide which amongst them would take that final blow. If possible, the final blow should be mine to make. I am the eldest, and the taint will not spare me much longer. But...” he paused. “If I should fail, the deed falls on you. The blight must be stopped now or it will destroy all of Ferelden before the rest of the grey wardens can assemble. Remember that.” Riordan sighed, waving his hand of all the dark talk. “But enough. There will be much to do tomorrow and little enough time to rest before it. I will allow you to return to your rooms.” As the two turned to leave, he cleared his throat. “Ah but, grey warden?” Both Alistair and the young recruit paused. “Not you Alistair, the other one. I wish to speak to them.” Alistair turned and left. Before he did however, he laughed. “They have a name you know.” He then left the two alone.

Gesturing to a seat, Riordan sat on the seat across from it. “I couldn’t help but notice that you seemed.... Very blase over this whole thing.” The warden looked at him, pursing their lips as they thought it over. “Do you ever feel that this has all happened before? That everything you’ve ever done has been the whim of someone larger than you?” Riordan shook his head. “No, I cannot say I have.” The warden sat in the chair that was gestured to them. “I feel that way. I know what happens now, and I know the consequence of all my actions. I know what it’s like to be a mage, a warrior, a rogue. I’ve been an elf, both Dalish and city, I’ve been a dwarf, both noble and castless. I’ve been a human.... I’ve been everything, and yet here I am with nothing.” They stared at the fire for a moment, thinking. “I know what happens next. After this, I will leave this room and Morrigan will offer me a proposition. Someone with the taint is to father a child with her. This child will take the arch demon's soul and purify it. However I’ve already decided to deny the request. Also....” They took a deep breath and looked at Riordan. “You will die during the battle, not by slaying the arch demon, but by being thrown off its back to your death.” The older warden gasped. “Surely you are lying.” He was panicked. If he died during the battle, that meant the two had to defeat an arch demon on their own. And one had to die. “I do not lie. I have seen Alistair die as he defeats the arch demon. I have felt myself die countless times as a soul enters my body and battles momentarily for dominance, before fizzling out. I have seen my companions die, had them never follow me in the first place, been in love with them all and seen them leave me alone. I’ve helped werewolves in one life and then the elves in the next.” The warden slumped in their chair. “It is almost as if I am stuck in some sort of purgatory, forced to relive the death of so many. Forced to come back each time, and continue on a hopeless journey. Even now I know that telling you this will not change my future. You will still die. And I will die as well. But enough of this talk.” The young warden got up out of their seat. “If you don’t die tomorrow, I will personally buy you something to drink from a tavern.” They smiled, a sad smile, before leaving the room. Riordan slumped to the floor, his ears hearing the sound of the warden talking to Morrigan. “Don’t die tomorrow... I will try my best, grey warden.” He let his head rest in his hands, wondering what to do about the information he had obtained.

**Author's Note:**

> Riordan's speech to the warden and alistar was transcripted from here.   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87qPi4erWg4


End file.
